1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a covering which stabilizes a dust ruffle or bed skirt on a foundation, in particular, on a box spring.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional bed skirts or dust ruffles are commonly used in connection with box spring and mattress sets for beds. The dust ruffle's skirting material is permanently attached by conventional means, such as sewing or bonding, to a flat sheet. Dust ruffles are often installed about the perimeter of a bed for decorative purposes, typically installed to span the distance between the ground and the bed's box spring or other mattress foundation. The foot and sides of a standard bed, and three or all four sides of a bed are often covered by a dust ruffle. Dust ruffles help prevent the gathering of dust under the bed.
Especially in the home, conventional box spring covers are generally fabricated of a material to match the comforter and draperies of the bedroom; often, the dust ruffle is formed integrally with the box spring cover. Box spring covers and dust ruffles for home use are typically either made according to a standard size, or custom made to fit a specific bed.
Conventional dust ruffles and box spring covers are made from flat sheeting and permanently attached skirting material. Because the flat sheeting, the box spring surface, and lower surface of a mattress have smooth surfaces, the flat sheeting material slips and slides in between the mattress and box spring causing the bed skirt to lose its alignment. This is particularly so where the dust ruffle hangs from between the mattress and the box spring, and is easily disturbed by the changing of the bedsheets, and must then be repositioned to provide the desired appearance. In addition, some conventional dust ruffles and box spring covers may require removal of the mattress for repositioning of the dust ruffle and flat sheet.
Typically, these bed skirts consist of a flat platform sheeting material that is attached to a skirt portion, the skirt portion being formed from a single piece of fabric. The platform sheeting material may be permanently attached or releasably attached to the skirt portion. The platform sheeting material is sandwiched between a mattress and a mattress foundation, such as a box spring.
The bed skirt uses the weight of the mattress to pin the platform sheeting material between the mattress and the box spring in order to maintain its position and to allow the skirt portion to extend around at least a substantial portion of the perimeter of a box spring.
A conventional bed skirt typically includes a support or platform panel which is dimensioned to overlay the upper surface of the mattress foundation, such as a box spring, and which supports a skirt portion at its edges. The skirt portion extends around at least a substantial portion of the perimeter of the mattress foundation and extends downwardly such that the lower edge of the skirt portion terminates at or proximate the floor on which the associated bed is supported
Certain prior art bed clothing devices and systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,112; 4,985,953; 4,682,379; 4,402,098; and 4,141,097.
A disadvantage of conventional dust ruffles is that they require constant readjustment of the dust ruffle when the bed is made. First, since the mattress, box spring, and platform sheeting material all have smooth surfaces, the weight of the mattress alone is not sufficient to keep the platform sheeting material stabilized so that the attached skirt portion remains properly draped in an effective alignment with the floor.